


His to Keep

by Capriccio



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Boys In Love, Canon Era, M/M, Secrets, magical reveal
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-07-14
Updated: 2014-07-14
Packaged: 2018-02-08 18:55:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1952373
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Capriccio/pseuds/Capriccio
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s not as if Merlin is the only one with a secret. Growing up with a father like Uther has made Arthur very careful about the ones he keeps.</p>
            </blockquote>





	His to Keep

**Author's Note:**

> Written for summerpornathon 2013's 'Canon' challenge. A thousand thanks to significantowl for betaing. ♥ Also [available on livejournal](http://capricornucopia.livejournal.com/16444.html).

It’s not as if Merlin is the only one with a secret. Arthur knows plenty about secrets, both how to keep one and how to tell if someone is hiding one. Growing up with a father like Uther has made Arthur very careful about the ones he keeps.

Arthur can tell Merlin is hiding _something_. He doesn’t quite know what it is yet, but he’s going to find out one way or another. Merlin stumbles alongside him cheerfully—never looking at his feet, only at Arthur—and chatters like a magpie. Arthur has tried to tell Merlin to shut up and be silent like a good servant, but it goes in one ridiculous ear and out the other, and Arthur has decided to stop wasting his breath. He doesn’t mind the chatter so much anymore; the air feels empty now when Merlin isn’t there to fill it with his words.

But his ramblings have an added benefit: Arthur is sure he’ll weasel Merlin’s secret out of him eventually.

*

Arthur becomes so preoccupied with finding out Merlin’s secret that he stops paying attention to everything else he does with Merlin.

It’s a fleeting moment, something Arthur doesn’t think about; he only feels. Merlin finishes dressing him, smiling as his fingers linger on Arthur’s collar for a moment, and Arthur presses his mouth against Merlin’s in a brush of a kiss. Arthur doesn’t realise he’s done it until he’s halfway out the door. When Arthur turns around to see why Merlin isn’t there beside him, he finds Merlin rooted to the spot, staring at him with his mouth agape like a fool. Arthur pauses to wonder what on earth he ever saw in that mouth when he kissed it and—oh. That’s going to be a problem, isn’t it?

*

It’s not a problem. Well, it is a problem, because everything that has to do with Merlin is a problem, but the actual doing part—that’s not a problem. They begin with kissing. Merlin likes to close his eyes when he’s kissed, and Arthur likes to keep his open to watch Merlin, except sometimes Merlin slides his tongue sweetly against Arthur’s with just the right amount of pressure, and Arthur’s eyelids fall shut on their own somehow. He’s working on it.

*

After kissing, it’s touching. Arthur doesn’t like to hug, has always been told by his father that hugging isn’t for princes, but touching, _touching_ is something different. Arthur allows himself only small touches in public: a clap on the back, a palm between the shoulder blades, a ruffling of hair. In private, Arthur doesn’t hold back. Merlin comes alive beneath his hands, scrabbling at him, tugging him down, touching every bit of skin he can reach, every emotion written across his face.

Merlin’s eyes go soft and unfocused when Arthur wraps a hand around his cock, sliding his fingers up and down slowly, teasingly, lingering at the spots that make Merlin gasp. Merlin is uncoordinated, clumsy, and eager in bed, and Arthur feels the same: everything is new with Merlin. Everything else fades away until there is nothing left but Merlin’s eyes on his, Merlin’s mouth on his, Merlin’s cock sliding against his in a rhythm of their own making. Arthur watches Merlin’s face flush pink, his mouth slack and skin slick with sweat, his eyes never leaving Arthur’s face when he comes.

Afterward, they lie together, spent, but Arthur doesn’t close his eyes for a moment while Merlin is lying there beside him. They stay together underneath the blankets, skin to skin, face to face, and Arthur begins to feel a new secret taking hold of his heart.

*

Arthur is right—he usually is—and Merlin tells Arthur his secret himself. In fact, he blurts it out in the council room, admitting to being a sorcerer to save Gwen’s father’s life. Because _Arthur_ isn’t an idiot, he does what needs to be done to save Merlin from himself. But now he knows: Merlin has magic.

*

For as long as Arthur can remember, magic has been something to fear. “It can only be used for evil, Arthur,” his father tells him time and time again. “Remember that.”

Arthur remembers. It becomes ingrained into his thoughts, his actions, and so he’s caught completely by surprise to find Merlin is using magic for good, not evil. Merlin continually uses his magic to save lives—to save _Arthur’s_ life—and wants nothing for it. Not gold, not power, not even acknowledgement or gratitude.

Arthur knows only one way to repay that. Merlin would give his life for Arthur: in turn, Arthur would give his for Merlin’s.

That’s Arthur’s secret now.


End file.
